Good thing for the South Okanagan Flames lacrosse games are longer than 10 minutes.
Down 5-1 just 9:05 into Saturday’s Thompson Okanagan Junior League game in Vernon, the Flames collectively woke up and scored 19 times over the final 50 minutes on their way to an impressive 20-13 road victory over the Tigers.
The two teams play again Wednesday in Vernon (7:30 p.m., Kal Tire Place), though South Okanagan will host the league-leading Kamloops Venom prior to that Monday evening (7:30 p.m., Penticton Memorial Arena).
READ ALSO: South Okanagan Flames handle Vernon Tigers
Vernon sniper Jordy Barr scored four times in the first nine minutes, helping Vernon build up a 5-1 lead but then the Flames’ Logan Cote answered back.
After pulling to within 5-2 on a Zander Torres powerplay goal, Cote scored three times on three shots in 38 seconds – believed to be a team record for fastest three goals – to tie the contest, and goals by Aiden Danby and Ethan Konno in the final 39 seconds of the period gave South Okanagan a 7-5 lead after 20 minutes.
The teams matched their first-period goal outputs in the middle frame, with the Flames taking a 14-10 lead into the dressing room. The Tigers had pulled to within a goal at 11-10 before South Okanagan scored three unanswered in the period’s final 2:13, and added another trifecta of goals in the first 10:41 of the final frame before Vernon replied.
Cote finished with five goals and six helpers for an 11-point night for the Flames (3-4-1). Torres had 4+4, Danby added 4+3, Chace Moog scored two shorthanded markers and added four assists while Carson Shortreed chipped in 2+3. The Flames scored four times with the man advantage.
Barr’s 6+3 night led the slumping defending champs (1-6-1, winless in five). Kaden Doughty added 2+5 while single goals went to Caden Colmorgen, Hayden Catt, Conor Webb, Kael Black and Ryan Sadorsky.
Shaun Agostinho made 26 saves to earn the win in net while Quintin Fisk and Derek Pereboom combined for 36 saves in the Tigers’ goal.
South Okanagan sits seven points back of the Venom (7-1-0) and are four points ahead of the Tigers. All three of South Okanagan’s wins have been against Vernon.
The regular season champion gets a bye to the final while the other two teams play a best-of-three semifinal.
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